All the Way to the End
by NarcissaNerea
Summary: Bill asks Laura what made her go into politics. (Sean Allison/Laura - Mentions of Laura/Bill)
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Many thanks to the ladies who read over this fic for me.

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Laura said a lot of stupid shit when she was drunk. Usually, it was funny or witty. Other times she could get a little blunt and mean. But sometimes, as the alcohol was wearing off and she had just the right amount, she would be honest. She would let down the now very presidential wall that she had built around her.

"What made you get into politics in the first place?" Bill had asked. Normally, when someone had asked her how she had gone from school teacher to Secretary of Education, she would give them her standard, political answer. _"President Adar had asked me to join his campaign and it seemed like the right time so I agreed to join him,"_ she would tell them. Her answer was technically true. But instead of her scripted answer she told him, "Teaching requires 100 percent of your focus to be on the kids and I couldn't put everything else out of my mind. It was three months after I lost my dad and sisters and I had gotten into a pretty dark place. Adar had been bugging me to join his campaign for a while."

"What made you finally decide to do it?"

Laura took another drink, not breaking eye contact. "I agreed," she said as she put the glass back on the coffee table, "after I did something stupid. It was sort of my wake up call."

She could see Bill shift uncomfortably in his chair. During one of her blunt moments, before they were dating, he had asked her to elaborate on something and she had shouted that he should be grateful he still had Lee amongst other things. Other things that dug deep and crossed lines. She remembered how he looked, trying to contain himself when she had finally finished her tirade. _"Get the frak out,"_ he had whispered at her and pointed at the door. She made sure to slam the hatch behind her and struggled not to yell at her marine guards. They had talked about it later when they were both sober. They both apologized and hadn't brought it up again, agreeing that too much of their personal lives was probably a bad thing.

However, they had been together for awhile now, having crossed the personal lives boundary long ago. He understood her moods, her worries, and what made her laugh. He knew she wasn't a morning person and was becoming better at reading between the lines during the press conferences she gave.

"What stupid thing did you do that would make you think politics was a better option?" He finally asked, mentally bracing himself for whatever would come out of her mouth. She was unpredictable when she drank and even more so when she was mixing it with whatever she could get from Cottle.

XxXxXxX

"I know it's been three months, I know..." Laura said, playing with the sushi on the plate in front of her. Was grieving supposed to have a time limit? She hated people who played the victim every time they opened their mouth and feared on some level that she was turning into one of them.

"Laura, you don't even go out anymore. I haven't seen you at Atala in what, two or three weeks?" Marcy quizzed her.

"I do too go out." She had gone out shopping and had sat along the riverwalk drinking tea just the other day. Not what Marcy had meant, nevertheless she had still left her house.

"Uh huh…"

"I do!" She said again, finally choosing a piece and popping it into her mouth.

"You need more human interaction than sitting and watching television all day, Laura," Marcy chastised.

"Mmhmmm," she responded, shaking her head with a mouth full of food. "No." Being surrounded by people at a busy cafe was the last thing she wanted. There was still too much sympathetic head tilting from people she knew when they asked her how she was. "Mmmhmm," she repeated, still shaking her head no. Laura heard Marcy sigh on the other end of the line. "Or you could join the presidential campaign like the _mayor_ suggested," Marcy teased, knowing full well it was a sore spot for her.

"No, I'm not joining Adar's presidential campaign," she said, licking the food off of her right thumb. She had known Richard since they met during a year abroad at Boskirk University on Picon. During the Ostara celebrations a group of them had gone to party on Scorpia and they had slept together. Despite them not having a lot in common, they had kept in touch over the years and now he wanted her to be part of his campaign for presidency.

"But just think, Laura," Marcy continued, "you'll have a new title, more money, and you'll be surrounded by good looking men."

"I don't care." It was true she didn't. A job title meant nothing to her and she lived comfortably in one of the nicer areas of Caprica City. While she didn't have a high paying job, she was smart with her money and she had inherited what her father had left behind. Her heart twinged at the thought.

"Why not?" Marcy asked as if she didn't already know the answer.

"Because I don't like politics to begin with and the national campaign is just a-"

"A good way to get frakked on multiple levels?" she laughed.

"Oh gods, you are relentless!" Marcy was relentless and far too interested in other people's sex lives. Truth be told, Laura couldn't remember the last time she had been frakked. At least four months ago, maybe longer. Her last relationship ended when her boyfriend of three years had started pushing for marriage and babies. While she had loved Olivier she didn't love the idea of staying home and being a mother. Laura felt she had already been a mother to her younger sisters after their own mother had passed. She valued her independence far too much and no one had seemed to understand that.

"Laura!"

"What?"

"I _said_ I know I am but if you're not doing to do this thing with Adar then at least let me set you up on a date! Gods know you probably haven't been frakked since-"

"Ok ok, ah-ah-" She cut Marcy off. The last thing she wanted to do was talk about her love life or lack thereof. The last time they had gone down that path, Laura had ended up with a new 100 cubit sex toy. Although she certainly didn't regret buying it. "I'll make you a deal. I'll go on the date, if you'll stop bugging me about this campaign." Thankfully Marcy agreed and had sent her a message later that night saying that Sean would be by on Saturday around 7 to pick her up for dinner.

The remainder of the week seemed to crawl by. By Wednesday she had found herself in yet another meeting. This time the talk had turned to a potential strike demanding better pay. _If I became Secretary of Education I'd actually have to deal with these things._ Laura internally rolled her eyes at the thought as one of the attendees babbled on. No one had ever gone into colonial state teaching for the pay and as far as she knew they never would.

Laura awoke early on Saturday to a pounding headache. _Frak ambrosia,_ she thought, pulling a pillow over her head. Even the darkness of her bedroom hurt her eyes. She had stayed up late watching a marathon of Baiote Mangala that she had recorded over the past few months. Her sisters had gotten her into the show and they used to watch it together. Watching it without them for the first time had drove her to drink or at least that's what she told herself.

Slowly easing herself out of bed, Laura shuffled to the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet. _He's perfect for you!_ Marcy's voice echoed in her head. A couple of pill bottles fell out of the cabinet as she tried to blindly find the the bottle of anti-headache capsules. Once she managed to find them, Laura popped the top off, letting it clatter to the floor. Dumping out the remaining two into her hand, she splashed some water into her mouth as she swallowed them. _I wonder what Mr. Perfect would think of an aging educator who can't even teach herself to cope properly_.

Laura tugged down her Buccaneers t-shirt out of habit. The walls certainly didn't care about the cellulite on her ass and upper thighs. _Just go on a date with him! You made me a deal._ She had made Marcy a deal, one which she was now regretting. She always considered herself to be a woman of her word. Never breaking a promise. It was something she prided herself on and another reason she did not want to get into politics.

As she dragged herself into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee, she tried to imagine not being a teacher. No more laminating and hanging countless motivational posters and behavioral charts before the school year started. She wouldn't have to spend money out of her own pocket to stock emergency supplies for students who couldn't afford to buy their own or just couldn't be bothered to remember to bring them in. Colonial teachers were supposed to be reimbursed, but the teachers knew they'd be long gone before they ever saw the cubits appear in their paychecks. Laura picked up her coffee and leaned against the counter. Maybe she could deal with the politicians. Could it really be worse than dealing with parents who yelled at her over their children's bad grades? Denied that their child could ever be disruptive in class?

But there were good things about being a teacher, she couldn't deny that. Things that she would probably miss. Watching a student achieve something they'd been struggling with all year. Having that one student that was quiet all year or the student who constantly gave her problems sheepishly come up to her at the end and say 'thank you'. These were the moments that kept her motivated throughout the year and gave her what sometimes felt like courage to return the following year.

Laura slowly sipped her still hot coffee, making a mental note to grind up more burdock root before her date arrived. Burdock tea had become part of her drinking habit after her family had passed and she had ended up standing in a fountain consumed by grief. It calmed her and made her relax instead of crying until she couldn't breathe. But it was dangerous, just like any other calmative. The first time she drank alcohol after the tea she had blacked out for a few hours. After some trial and far more error than she cared to admit she had found the right combination and timing of both tea and alcohol that allowed her to reach a state of pure bliss. She tried so hard to instill in her students the notion of personal responsibility and she felt like she was the biggest hypocrite in the Twelve Colonies. A fellow teacher had told her once to not be so hard on herself. She wasn't perfect. No one was. They were all lines and lies she had heard before. Maybe Mr. Perfect wouldn't see through her façade.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Many thanks to the ladies who read this chapter over for me.

XxX

Laura pulled on her black heeled boots over her leggings and zipped them up. Standing from the bed she looked at herself in the full length mirror that hung on the wall. The long silver tunic she put on seemed to suit her well enough. Or was it a short dress? Even when she bought it two and half years ago she wasn't quite sure, but hoped that she looked passable enough. Laura critiqued herself one last time and wrinkled her nose at the state of her arms. They didn't look like they used to and she grabbed a cardigan from inside her closet and put it on. _Better_ ,she thought. Covering her arms wasn't going to hide her age nor her lack of exercise much, but she would take what she could get.

Walking out of the bedroom, Laura flicked off the light as she headed towards the back garden. The clicking of her heels against the floor was almost deafening in the silence of the apartment and she turned on her favorite classical station to mute it. As she stepped outside, she looked up at the sky. It was nearly dusk, her favorite time of the day. She picked up the glass she had left outside and dumped the remainder of the Burdock tea down her throat. Burdock tea was always something that she drank outside, due to the disgusting smell that rivaled a stadium bathroom after a pyramid match. And yet, somehow managed to taste even worse than it smelled. As the tea began to course through her, Laura felt her insides lurch. Waiting for her stomach to settle she looked back up at the sky, watching the heavy liners and raptors come in and out of the atmosphere. Laura had often tried to imagine living in space and grimaced at the thought, always preferring her home with its secluded garden and expansive wardrobe, over whatever adventures might await past the confines of the 12 Colonies.

Laura glanced at the clock as she walked back inside. Her blind date, 'Mr Perfect', would be arriving any moment. She hurriedly washed out the glass and stuck it haphazardly in the dishwasher when she heard a sharp rap on the front door. Laura walked quickly to the door, stopping to give herself one last glance in the mirror before opening it. A tall, dark, and very handsome man stood on her front porch. Perhaps Marcy was right after all.

"You must be Sean," she said as she let him inside.

"Yeah, I must be," he replied awkwardly, with a charming smile that was starting to look misplaced. "I hope so…" he trailed off as Laura gave a half-hearted laugh.

 _Must be? Hope so? Doesn't he know who he is?_ Laura managed to not roll her eyes at the clear lack of self-confidence. She needed a man who knew what he was doing, not second guessing himself or seeking permission from her. Laura reached out to take the flowers from him, thanking him as she did.

Walking towards the kitchen, flowers in hand "Do you like white wine?" she asked. He seemed enamored with her already and she wondered for a moment how far she could take it.

"I do...kinda awkward huh? Blind date and all," he asked as she set the flowers on the counter.

"No, it's not," she responded, twisting the cap off of the wine. It was awkward. She could already tell he was not her type. "It's just that I-I have this feeling," she paused, "that I know you from somewhere." Laura poured the wine into the glass, trying to judge how much was socially acceptable for a first drink with a blind date, with whom she was already bored.

"Here you go, _Sean_ ," she said, putting emphasis on his name as she handed him the glass. She hoped it was enough to mask her tiredness with the situation. She hated forced conversation, especially when she knew there was no point to it. Laura was well aware that she was an impatient woman. The children she taught had always been an exception; however, she gave very little leeway to adults who, in her mind, should have figured it out already. She was surprised she had any tongue left for as much as she had to bite it on a regular basis.

She looked up at him while she was pouring the wine and suddenly realized who he was. "Oh, wait a minute. You were one of my _students,_ " she said with a hint of dismay. That would explain his awkward behavior and smiles. Now she remembered him. Sean Ellision. The sixteen year old, charming smart ass in her Caprican Literature class.

Sean looked at the floor for a moment as he nodded, "guilty as charged," he admitted, finally looking back up at her. The look in his eyes begged her to not get mad and kick him out. "I mean as soon as Marcy mentioned your name I knew, but…" he trailed off for a moment before continuing "I didn't want to tell her."

"And you knew I was old enough to be your-"

"Teacher. Yeah." He smiled at her.

 _Yeah, you're only here to live out your teenage fantasy,_ she silently responded with a forced smile. She wondered if she still had any gold stars lying around to give him for his now apparent, self-promoted bravado. He was just like Adar, only twenty years younger. Charismatic and handsome but, still only interested in what she could provide him and not caring about what she wanted.

"I graduated. Some time ago."

There was an awkward silence and exchange of unsure looks between them. What was he expecting her to say? _Oh, Sean...of course! Now we can ride off into the Caprican sunset together!_ Or maybe he was waiting for her to go put on a pencil skirt and tell him she still had more to teach him. With her luck it was probably the latter.

"Should I go?" he asked.

"Did I say you should go? I didn't say you should go." Her words came out rushed and jilted at the same time. She topped off her glass of wine. The alcohol was finally starting to mix with the tea she had earlier. Maybe she could get through dinner. Maybe. "The night's young and apparently so are you," Laura raised her glass at him in a half jest "but let's see what happens," she said as their glasses clinked.

By the time they had walked the two blocks from her house to the maglev station, Laura was starting to feel very relaxed. She wrapped her arm around his as they started up the stairs to the platform and she caught him smiling again out of the corner of her eye and tried not to smirk. The trains were crowded on Saturday nights and she felt herself leaning into him as the train moved along the track, weaving in and out of high rise buildings and dipping beneath the busy streets of Caprica City.

Dinner was admittedly enjoyable. She had feared he would take her to one of those trendy, multi-storied restaurants with expensive, snack-sized meal portions, indoor waterfalls, and an abundance of plants. Instead he had taken her to a small seafood place. The food was delicious and the conversation was pleasant. He talked about how he was working at a prestigious architecture firm and asked if she was still teaching. She nodded, as she took another bite of food, and tried to not think about how she had once taught him. Thankfully, he had changed the subject and started describing the latest project they were doing on Virgon designing a new, all-inclusive resort.

Laura felt as if she was melting into her chair. The wine and tea had reached its mixing peak and she hoped Sean hadn't noticed. To Laura, the liquid high was perfection. It was the only thing that fully calmed her and allowed her to enjoy life, even though life wasn't entirely real when she was this frakked up. Sean was handsome, she had to admit. Maybe she could keep him around. Not as a boyfriend, they were most certainly not compatible in that regard. It would also be highly embarrassing if anyone found out that he was her former student. But he might not be bad as someone to go to the occasional dinner with or even frak.

After Sean had paid the bill, they headed back towards the maglev station. The Saturday night air was brisk and she felt his arm snake around her waist, hand landing on her hip as they walked along. _Confident prick_ , Laura thought as she leaned into him as they continued along the pavement. Her head was starting to clear. The only bad thing about Laura's medicinal concoction was that while the high was wonderful, it wore off fast. The train ride back to her stop was silent save for a few drunken revelers headed off to the next club. She was happy to have gotten a seat this time, her boots were starting to make her feet feel as if they were on fire.

They smirked at each other as a middle-aged woman with a tiny dog stumbled into the train carriage with a beat up holoband perched on top of her head. "I didn't think people used those anymore," Laura whispered, nodding at the dated technology. She had only seen them in antique stores and in photos of her parents wall before they were married. Augmented reality was something that most colonists stayed far away from after the war against the cylons.

Sean suppressed a chuckle, "I think they're making some sort of comeback as a fashion accessory." Laura rolled her eyes in response. Of all the things to be making an appearance as fashion. She felt Sean's hand rest on top of her knee and she looked at him out of the corner of her eye. If he was any other man she probably would have given in and kissed him. Instead, she pretended not to notice the look on his face and thankfully the train arrived at the station a few moments later.

Sean stood first and held out his hand to help her up. Laura accepted his hand and they headed out of the station. He was a gentleman, she had to give him that. The walk back to her home seemed to be rushed and lagging at the same time. She was apprehensive and over thinking it. He tried to engage her in conversation, but the most she could muster was the occasional 'mmhmm' and eventually he gave up.

"Thank you for dinner," she said as they reached her front door. It was her turn to give the awkward and nervous smile. Laura wondered if she could actually go through with it.

Sean smiled back. "It was a pleasure, Laura," he said still holding her hands. "Would you, um -"

Laura cut him off. "Do you want to come in for coffee?"


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Many thanks to kadi and kate04us

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"Yeah," he responded, trying not to look too excited. Laura didn't know whether to feel relieved or nervous. She unlocked the door and took a deep breath, trying to let it out slowly. _Lords of Kobol, what am I getting myself into_. She walked into the kitchen, leaving him to close the door and take off his shoes and jacket.

The loud grinding of the beans masked the sound of her rummaging through one of the kitchen drawers and opening a pill bottle. She shook one of the tiny pills out and broke it in half. It was prescribed for 'emergency use only' for anxiety but she took it liberally. She swallowed one half, hastily put the other half back in the bottle and shut the drawer.

"Anything I can do to help?"

Laura turned around and gave Sean a half-hearted smile. "I'm uh, yeah if you want to get some cups out," she babbled at him while vaguely gesturing towards the cabinets near the stove. Laura rolled her lips between her teeth as she watched him take the white porcelain cups out of the cupboard and set them on the counter near the flowers he had given her earlier.

Sean turned from the counter and walked over to her, the hesitation written plainly on his face. She would have to make the first move. Otherwise they would actually end up drinking coffee and they both knew that is not why she invited him in. Her breath caught and she could feel her heart nearly jump into her lungs. She stood up on her toes, sliding her fingers through his hair as she leaned in and kissed him. "Stop being so nervous," she whispered as she pulled away.

Sean dumbly nodded in response and pulled her in for another kiss. His kiss was softer and perhaps a little kinder than she felt. Slowly kissing her, he parted her lips with his own, and she allowed his tongue to enter her mouth. He still tasted like the wine from their dinner, and she found herself wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer. He nudged her legs slightly apart and pulled her against him.

Laura could feel him pressed against her abdomen, already hard and hot for her. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she ran her fingers through his dark locks. His hands found his way to her waist and slowly slid up her body. She could feel her body tense in anticipation, and she hummed into his mouth when his hands found her breasts.

"Bedroom," she whispered, breaking the kiss and grabbing his hand. Laura lead him into her room and closed the door. When Sean started to reach around for the light she grabbed his hand and placed it back on her breasts. No need for him to truly see everything that was underneath.

They tugged and fumbled their way out their clothing in the dark, hands and mouths roaming on each other's bodies. Laura could feel the ripple of his muscular chest and arms under his shirt, and she pulled it off of him and tossed it on the floor. Sean had made quick work of removing his pants and she gladly helped him remove his boxer briefs. As they fell to the floor she reached out and stroked his hard cock. He gasped and tightly gripped her hips, kissing her again. Laura's hand glided up and down his cock, the tips of her fingers playfully teasing the head as she did so. Eventually she stopped and pulled away from him. Laura stepped back until she reached the bed and sank back into the mattress. Her hand sliding between her legs and in between her folds. Sean crawled onto the bed moments later and pushed her legs apart. His eyes were now somewhat adjusted to the dark and he gripped her wrist, pinning it back above her head.

His hands and mouth explored her body, stopping to suck on the nape of her neck and on each hard nipple. His kisses continued down her body until his mouth was between her legs. Laura bit her lower lip hard and pressed her thighs against either side of his head. The last thing she wanted to do was sound like some sort of crass porn star, but gods he was good. His tongue darted against her clit and dipped into her folds. He licked her wet slit over and over, causing her back to arch and her nails to dig into his scalp. He was eager and relentless, making her orgasm, and she frakked his fingers without thought when he pushed one and then two inside of her. He might have sent her close to the point of madness had she not pushed his head out from between her thighs.

He crawled on top of her and kissed her, letting her taste herself on his tongue. "Do you have any…." Sean trailed off as he looked towards the nightstand.

Laura wrapped her legs around his hips and pulled him close. "I was sterilized years ago, but, if you really want, there's a store on the corner." It was all he needed to hear. Sean pressed himself against her folds and entered her.

The drugs and alcohol were making her body feel slightly numb and it was becoming difficult for her to feel everything that was happening. "Harder," she whispered into his ear, hoping he would comply. He did and Laura was grateful she had a padded headboard. Sean grabbed a pillow and placed it under her ass. He pulled her feet up together against his chest and sank back into her. She gripped his forearms as he slid in and out of her, hitting her cervix with every thrust. Any promise she had made herself to be somewhat quiet was soon forgotten. Laura moaned and gasped as he pounded her repeatedly. "Frak, you feel amazing," she heard him say.

She moaned his name and clawed at his arms. Sean's breathing became staggered, and his body tensed above hers as he came inside her. Pushing her legs to either side of her body, he collapsed on top of her and kissed her hard. The post orgasmic haze cleared her head. Maybe a little too much. The reality of what happened started to sink in, and she started to feel sick with everything that she had done.

Laura eased herself out of bed, cupping a hand between her thighs as she made her way to the bathroom. Quickly closing the door, she lifted the lid and sat down on the toilet. His come dripped from between her legs into the water as she removed her hand. She stared at it in disgust. _Gods, what have I done?_ She ran her other hand through her hair, waiting impatiently to be rid of any evidence they were ever together. She gave things another minute or two, cleaned herself up as best she could, and watched everything disappear in a swirl of water.

Finding a discarded and crumpled nightgown in the corner of the bathroom she pulled it over her head and grabbed her robe off of the back of the bedroom door. As she put it on, she leaned against the bathroom vanity and turned on the faucet to wash her hands. _Good gods, you really do need plastic surgery,_ she told herself, inspecting the bags under her eyes and the crows feet next to them. She had been putting off a consultation for far too long.

"Laura? Are you ok?"

She looked up at the ceiling, shaking her head. _Ok? I just frakked my former student while half out of my mind_. _Gods, what did he want? A round two? Tell everyone at the next class reunion how he screwed Ms. Roslin's brains out and made her beg for more?_

She pushed herself away from the sink and headed back into the bedroom. He was laying there, broad, muscular chest exposed and barely covered by a tangle of sheets. She saw him look at her, a half smile spreading across his face as she made her way to the bed.

"Hi," he said as she approached.

"Hi," she responded. Pleasantries were not beneath her. At least not yet. Laura pulled the robe tight across her body, realizing she might be giving him the wrong impression.

"Sean, it's been a lovely evening. Really lovely." Sean's head dropped momentarily to stare at the sheets. Maybe he got what she was saying. It wouldn't work between them, but he said nothing in response. "But I'm afraid I won't be doing this again," she said a little more bluntly.

"Uh did I -"

"No. No, no, no not you. You're wonderful," she smiled. It was true, he was wonderful. Wonderful, hopeful, and blessedly naive.

"C'mon just..." he started, pushing back the sheets.

"No," she said again as she turned her eyes to the ceiling. "You can show yourself out." She couldn't look at him. Couldn't make eye contact. Maybe if he wasn't a former student. Maybe if she was at a different point in life. A lot of maybes and, not surprisingly, none of them were in her favor. She was used to getting what she thought she wanted, but in the end it turned out whatever she did get was hardly the best thing for her. He was just another thing, filling a void somewhere between loneliness and an addiction she refused to admit she had. "I'm sorry," she finally whispered as if that was supposed to make it better.

"Well, ok," he nodded in defeat.

Before he could say anything else, Laura turned and headed back into the bathroom. Another bout of self-disgust hit her and she reached for her cigarettes. A pack used to last her months, and her sisters used to tease her about it. "What's the point if you can go without them?" they'd ask. They couldn't understand the way the mix of smoke and chemicals hitting her throat and lungs made her feel. Looking up at the night sky, looking at the planets and ships while the smell of the cigarette was mixed with a warm Caprican breeze. It was a sinful escape for when she needed it most.

Laura impatiently paced around the bathroom, waiting for Sean to gather his clothes and leave. Once she heard the click of the door she picked up the phone off the cradle and dialed the number for Adar's personal secretary.

"Good evening, Mayor Adar's office. This is Shana speaking," chirped an unusually perky voice on the other end of the line.

"Hello, this is Laura Roslin. I'd like you to give a message to Mayor Adar." Laura waited for the secretary to grab a piece of paper and pen. "Tell him that I will be joining his campaign"

Shana jotted down Laura's message and promised to send it to Mayor Adar first thing. "Thank you," Laura said, letting a smile play across her face. She took another drag of her cigarette. It was like part of the crushing weight she had been under had been lifted from her shoulders.

"Absolutely, Ms Roslin!" Shana paused for a moment. This wasn't the first time that she had spoken with Laura Roslin. She had certainly overheard the mayor's rants about her turning his campaign down more than once. Truth be told, Shana was more surprised that Laura wasn't calling in to give a preemptive 'no' for whenever the mayor decided to ask again. "The mayor does want to make sure though that you know this will be a long process. The process can be tiring and the press are brutal. Are you sure you'll be able to do the entire campaign all the way through?"

"All the way to the end, no matter what," she said, exhaling the smoke. "All the way to the end"

XxXxXxX

Laura ended up not telling Bill the complete truth. The walls went part way up, and she told herself it was for his own good. "A friend of mine set me up on a blind date with someone I used to know professionally and we ended up sleeping together." She poured the remains of the bottle into her glass. "I hated being Secretary of Education," she admitted. "I thought the pressure and the press were going to kill me. There was no work life balance. It felt like no matter what I did it was never the right thing and I never felt like I could be me. It had its okay moments, but I wanted out." She paused, swirling the ambrosia before taking another sip. "But in the end I guess politics saved my life.


End file.
